Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-07-21
st. Cloud, Minnesota
Special correspondence TO the HERALD

cribing new town, but one of tn
oldest, though most promising cities o
Minnesota. A year ago its name wa
wide spread in connection with tn
terrible cyclone that visited it with grea
destruction of life and property. To-da,
it is hardly less known especially in this
and surrounding states as pushing an,
rapidly growing manufacturing an,
railroad center. After reaching a pop
ulation of about 5000 st. Cloud SCENE,
to settle down into that semi-satisfiet
condition so ruinous to many goot
towns. But with the recent wonderful
development of the northwestern coun
try it has been aroused to new energy
and is now the acknowledged futur,
fourth city in the state, only Minneap
oils, st. Paul and Duluth possessing thu
advantages that will enable them Il
keep the lead.
st. Cloud is a city of s, 900 inhabitants
situated on the west bank of the Missis
sippi, seventy-fve miles north of St
Paul on the main line of the St. Paul
Minneapolis & Manitoba. and the North
ern Pacific railroad systems.
Its location is unsurpassed by any
other interior city in the state in natural
advantages. Situated on Il high plateau
on the west bank of the river, nearly on
the geographical center of the state q
more favorable location for a large city
could not have been selected. 1t is the
county seat of Stearns county, which
ranks fourth in wealth among the coun-
ties of the state, aud has also tributary
to it large part of the rich and well
cultivated farming country in the coun-
ties of Sherburne and Benton. 1t is one
of the most beautiful as well as healthful
cities in the state. Its streets are broad.
level and smooth and its many beautiful
residences and fine business blocks vestify
to the prosperity of its citizens.
In an April number of the Lancaster
HERALD appeared an article entitled
The Lancaster Lake" and was well
written article depicting the advantages
to the artisans, the merchant. the pro-
fessions and the community in general
to be derived from any enterprise in
augurated by the citizens for the adj
vancement of village or city that
would create employment for the home
laboring class and a demand for outside
labor. St. Cloud furnishes an excellent
illustration of the prosperity induced by
the successful operation of such plan
for the Announcements of its interests.
Like the scheme advanced in the above
mentioned article, the foundation for
this future prosperity was dam, but
instead of the waters of Pigeon creek,
it was the current OF the Mississippi
river that was 10 be distracted The
natural fall Of the liver. gives at this point
a head of IS feet, and the great work Of
arresting this vast body of water was
completed in the fall of 1886 at an ex-
pense to the city of 1927, 900. As a
result the city owns as fine water
power as there is in the country, and il
is already proving itself of inestimable
value in advertising and building up the
city.
As manufacturing town st. Cloud
can boast of the Phoenix Iron Works,
the largest manufacturing Of heavy iron
and milling machinery in the northwest.
Also several machine shops and found
erys, sash and door factories, sawmills,
planning mills, wood works, wagon and
sled factories and a Touring mill with a
capacity of 300 barrels per day in pro-
cess of construction.
As railroad center it is one of the
largest in the state and one of the most
important on the St. Paul, Minneapolis
& Manitoba system. This company has
its main line from St. Paul to St. Vim
cent, passing through, and makes it the
northern terminus for its Ossco branch
from Minneapolis, the western terminus
of the St. Cloud & Hinckly road to Du.
luth, and the eastern terminus of the
st. Cloud & Wilmer line. The man
line of the Northern Pacific railroad
from st. Cloud to Portland, Oregon,
also passing through. Among the lines
building or in prospectus are a branch
of the Minneapolis & Pacific, the St
Cloud, Austin & Mankato. and line
from Ostonville in the western part OF
the state to Duluth, via. St. Cloud to be
built by the C. NJ. & ST. P. Co. The
Manitoba company has twenty miles OF
side track within the city limits. for the
accommodation of its freight traffic this
being distributing point.
Another of St. Clouds large industrie:
is that of its extensive granite quarries
that surround the city. The granite Is
the very best, both red and gray, and
is susceptible of very high polish
There are at present six companies
operating quarries and one polishing
company in all employing from five to SIX
hundred men, This granite is all ship,
ped from st. Cloud and the payrolls Of
the companies one of its chief resources
st. Cloud succeeded in securing tho
location of the new State Reformatory
which will be built next year The city
has an excellent system of water works,
an efficient fire department, public
library and reading room, a fine opera
house, is lighted by gas and electricity
and has street railway under construc
ton. The banking business of the city
testifies to its business prosperity and i.
divided between two National and ont
private banks. Its chambers of com
merce composed of the business mer
are dong all that energetic pushing
men can do for the welfare of their cit,
and their work is having its effect. Tn,
religious denominations have larg,
churches, especially the Catholics, who
have two very large cathedrals.
Here is located one of the three Stat.